Rotating fluid spray apparatus for washing paper machine head boxes



Aug. 7, 1963 w. E. HARRIS ETAL 3,101,730

ROTATING FLUID SPRAY APPARATUS FOR WASHING PAPER MACHINE HEAD BOXES Filed June 12, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 William EHarris HobefiM S 0d en 1N VEN TORS Aug. 27, 1963 w. E. HARRIS ETAL ROTATING FLUID SPRAY APPARATUS FOR WASHING PAPER MACHINE HEAD BOXES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 12, 1961 W1111c1m E.HGT'I"IS Robert I. Soden INVENTORS Hffy.

United States Patent fice 3 l ,73'0 Ratented Aug. 27, 1 963 This invention relates to rotating fluid spray apparatus for washing paper machine head boxes and like installations.

A problem commonly encountered in paper machine head boxes, which supply pulp slurry to the forming wire,

' is the accumulation of slurry which splashes against the walls and ceiling above the slurry pond. This accumulation is subject to bacterial action, resulting in slime formation. As it sloughs off at frequent intervals, it falls into the pulp slurry and causes clotand slime-induced defects in the paper produced by the machine.

Accordingly it is common practice to include several stationary sprays in the upper part of the head box for spraying the head box interior. These fixed spray arrangements are unsatisfactory, however, in that they are cumbersome, several units being required for each head box; in that they are ineflicient in removal of the accumulated material from all the head box areas; and in that they cause frothing and surface disturbance of the slurry in the pond. This in turn affects adversely the delivery of the slurry from the head box to the forming wire.

It is the general object of this invention to provide spray apparatus for washing paper machine head boxes which overcomes the foregoing and other difliculties and which cleans the head box efficiently, continuously and without affecting adversely the quality of the paper produced by the machine of which the head box is a component.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, illustrating the presently described fluid spray apparatus during its operation;

FIG. 2 is a detail View in elevation, partly in section taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 of one end of the presently described fluid spray apparatus, illustrating its manner of mounting; and

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation, partly in section taken along line 33 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the manner of mounting the other end of the spray apparatus, as well as the manner of supplying it with washing fluid under pressure.

In general, the fluid spray apparatus of our invention, adapted for washing paper machine head boxes, comprises a pipe or conduit, a plurality of spray nozzles arranged at spaced intervals, preferably spirally, along the length of the conduit, bearing means for mounting the conduit rotatably in the head box above the pond therein, means for supplying fluid under pressure to the conduit and drive means connected to the conduit for driving it at a predetermined rotational speed. Means also are provided for supplying washing and lubricating fluid under pressure to the bearing means and for coupling a stationary fluid supply means to the rotating conduit through a fluid-sealed coupling.

Considering the foregoing in greater detail and with particular reference to the drawings:

In FIG. 1 there is illustrated the head box of a paper making machine. It includes a ceiling 10, a back wall 12, and a pair of side walls 14, 16. These enclose a pulp slurry pond, not illustrated, which feeds the forming wire of the machine, also not illustrated.

The presently described spray apparatus is located above 2 the head box pond ina position in which it cleans eliectively the interior surfaces of the head box and prevents the accumulation of slurry splashed on these surfaces from v the pond.

, The spray apparatus includes a conduit or pipe 20,

which mounts at spaced intervals a plurality of spray heads 22. Each of these communicates with the interior of the conduit and is provided at its outlet with a slot delivering a flat spray overlapping the adjacent sprays.

The spray is delivered with energy suflicient to clean the interior surfaces. of the head box, but insufficient to disturb the surface of the pond since it is dissipated before it reaches the pond. In addition, the spray heads preferably are arranged spirally about the conduit to avoid imparting a surging motion to the pond slurry.

Bearing means may be provided'for mounting the conduit within the head box. Accordingly in an opening in wall 14, there is bolted an insert 26 having a central perforation 28. The insert supports an inwardly extending bearing housing 30 in which is seated a bushing 32. A

pipe 34 is threaded into perforation 28 and connected to a source of Water under pressure which, when introduced into the bearing, cleans it and keeps it lubricated.

The other end of conduit 20 extends completely through side wall 16 and is supported in a bearing assembly illustrated in FIG. 3.

A combination bearing housing and stufiing box casing 40 is bolted to the side wall. The bearing housing is bushed with bushing 42. It is washed and lubricated by water introduced through pipe 44.

The stufling box casing contains packing 46, separated from the bushing by a labyrinth ring 48. A packing gland 50 is threaded on the threaded exterior of the casting, being retained in place by lock ring 52. A washer 54 is superimposed on the packing, and takes the thrust of the packing gland. I

The conduit is maintained within the head box, properly positioned with respect to the bearings, by means of a ring 56 welded to the exterior to the conduit and spaced slightly from the interior surface of side Wall 16.

One type of drive for the conduit, by means of which it is rotated at the predetermined rate, is illustrated in FIG. 1.

Fixed to the outboard segment of the conduit is a sprocket 60, driven by a chain 62 which engages the sprocket of a ratio motor 64 of suitable horsepower. The motor is adjusted to turn the conduit at the desired rotational speed, for example, from 5-10 rpm.

The fluid fed to conduit 20 preferably comprises filtered white water derived from the paper making operation, since it will not plug the spray heads and since its use does not effect adversely the consistency of the pulp slurry. It is fed under pressure to the rotating conduit from a stationary assembly, the construction of which is illustrated in FIG. 3.

Rotating conduit 20 terminates in a threaded section on which is threaded a sleeve 70 maintained in position by set screw 72. The sleeve extends beyond the end of the conduit. Its interior is formed with spaced annular recesses 74, in each of which is seated on O-ring 76 of rubber or other suitable material. A cap piece 78 is threaded onto the end of the sleeve and is anchored in position with set screws 80. I

A stationary pipe 82 extends into rotating sleeve 70 in sealing engagement with the O rings. The pipe bears a locating flange 84 which is received in cap piece 78 and assists in locating properly conduit 20. The pipe is threaded into a T 86 which has a cleanout plug 88 and communicates with another pipe 90 leading to the source of supply of the washing fluid.

. Q Operation Iii operating the presently described, rotating, fluid spray apparatus, filtered white Water or other fluid is introduced at a selected pressure through stationary pipes 99 and 82lfirito condii-it zfljvvhich is rotated at' the desired speed by motor 54; The hearing assemblies n which the'condiiit is supported are lubricated and cleansed by water fed to them through pipes 34, 44, respectively.

The fluid under press'nre'in conduit Z'Dpasse's into spray heads 22' here if is dispensed in flat, overlapping sprays in such a manner as; to was thoroughly all the interior surfaces seine head box', dislodigirig' any accumulated material Ietuirntn bercsw. This is she'di using "a single spray assembly, and Without imparting a rhythmic distunbarice to the para surraca wfii'ch .would a'fi'ect adv rsely the head box delivery to; the forming screen; It also is accomplished Withoutafiecting adversely the composition of the slurry so that aun'ifofm paper pmdttetts obtained. 7

It is to be undeistood that the form of our invention herein shown and described is to betaken as a preferred example er the sarrie' andthat various changes i'nthe shape, size anda r igerhent of parts maybe resorted to without epa mngrrqm thespir'it of our invention or the scope h fliiied th s desciibedbur invention, we claim:

1. head-boxes, corriprisir'ig' afconduit, a plurality of spray noz'zlesflarr'arigedatspaced intervals along the length of the conduit and communicating therewith; bearing means 7 gthejconduit rO't-atably in ajhe'adb'ox a bove'the pond there1n,' means onnecting the conduit to a supply o'f washing'fliiid under pressure for ejection through the t to the pulp: slurry in the pond' 'spr' ayapparatus for Washing paper machine nozzles onto the interior surfaces of the head box above the pond-therein, drive means connected to the conduit for driving it at a predetermined rotational speed, and conduit means communicating with the bearing means for supplying Washing and lubricating water to the bearing 7 surfaces.

2. Fluid spray apparatus for washing paper machine head bo'x'es including a pair of spacedside Walls, comprising a firsthearing adapted for mounting Oil-0116 side Wall of a head box above the'pond therein, a second bearing adapted for mounting through the other side wall opposite the first bearing, a pipe journaled for rotation in the bearings and extending through the second bearing outboard of the latter, a plurality of spraynozzles arranged atsp'aced intervals along the length of the pipe between said bearings, drive means coupled to the pipe for driving it at a predetermined rotational speed, a stationary pipe communicating with a source of fluid under pressure and aligned with the wotating pipe, watersealled coupling means coupling the stationary pipe to the outwardly 'exte'nding'endof the rotating pipe, and conduit means connecting the fiIstan'd second bearings to a supply of lubricating and washing water.

References Cited-iii the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,410,312 Hufiman Mar. 21, 1922 2,'078;670 Kirby Apr. 27, 1937 2,734,520" Ahres'eh Feb. 14, 1956 2,824,648 Bear Feb. 25, 1958 2,915,300 Fischer Dec. 1; 1959 2,994,482 Valois Aug. 1,1961 

1. A FLUID APPARATUS FOR WASHING PAPER MACHINE HEAD BOXES, COMPRISING A CONDUIT, A PLURALITY OF SPRAY NOZZLES ARRANGED AT SPACED INTERVALS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE CONDUIT AND COMMUNICATING THEREWITH, BEARING MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE CONDUIT ROTATABLY IN A HEAD BOX ABOVE THE POND THEREIN, MEANS CONNECTING THE CONDUIT TO A SUPPLY OF WASHING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE FOR EJECTION THROUGH THE NOZZLES ONTO THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF THE HEAD BOX ABOVE THE POND THEREIN, DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO THE CONDUIT FOR DRIVING IT AT A PREDETERMINED ROTATIONAL SPEED, AND CONDUIT MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE BEARING MEANS FOR SUPPLYING WASHING AND LUBRICATING WATER TO THE BEARING SURFACES. 